Pope Francis issued his first excommunication since become Pope in March (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)

An Australian priest who supports the ordination of women has been excommunicated by Pope Francis.

In the first such excommunication since the new pontiff took office Fr Greg Reynolds was dismissed in a letter from the Archbishop of Melbourne Denis Hart, which stated that “the decision by Pope Francis to dismiss Fr Reynolds from the clerical state and to declare his automatic excommunication has been made because of his public teaching on the ordination of women contrary to the teaching of the Church and his public celebration of the Eucharist when he did not hold faculties to act publicly as a priest.”

Archbishop Hart also told other priests in the archdiocese by letter that Fr Reynolds’s excommunication was “because of his publicteaching on the ordination of women”, which are grounds for automatic excommunication.

Fr Reynolds is also a supporter of same-sex marriage and has attended rallies in favour of changing the definition of marriage. He has even reportedly presided at same-sex ceremonies.

He told National Catholic Reporter: “I am very surprised that this order has come under his watch; it seems so inconsistent with everything else he has said and done.”

In August 2011 Fr Reynolds resigned his position as a priest at two rural parishes and, after Archbishop Hart removed his priestly faculties, he founded Inclusive Catholics, a pro-female ordination and gay marriage group.

Australian media also reported that in August 2012 he was present at a Mass where a dog had received Communion, which Fr Reynolds said he was not aware of until after the incident.

That month Archbishop Hart wrote to him warning that if he continuedto act publicly as a priest he would “be forced to take further canonical action for the good of the Church”.

We send you our greetings of Joy not only for Christmas, but all the long year through
This Gift of Joy that You Give to Others, Is the Joy that Will Come Back to You.!

He Is The Bread Of Life, Giving Himself To Us As Food. Even The Name Bethlehem Means, “House Of Bread”

Our team being parishioners at various parishes in the archdioceses, have allowed us to have a first-row-pew-view of the unrest, turmoil and egoistic attitudes between the religious hierarchy, clergy and the laity since the past few years on various issues of serious concerns.

We have been ever so forthright on all the articles, comments and viewpoints of every individual both who are for and against the hierarchy and clergy in the wake of every abuse and conviction on transparencies, over issues of finance, land scams and corrupt practices at both Parish and Archdiocesan levels. The Power of the Pulpit and Church Exits, have been misused to downplay these excesses portrayed as whitened sepulchers, so as not to truly project, if the entire parish is ceased of the prevailing controversies one is led to believe. Our persistence and justification of evidence on Public Domain have caused the “Squeaks of the Mouse” in our parishioners and support groups to surely culminate into “A Mouse that Roars” the likes of which has crossed our shores into Europe, and have now even penetrated the pristine precinct, with followers from the Vatican State, a proud moment for our team, that SILENT VOICE has touched the feet of “Our Holy Father POPE FRANCIS”.

Unlike in a political process the established religious hierarchy and clergy is managed by a “SOLE TRUSTEE” who are resolute and subdued to silence rather than action, hence reputed to be strong, whilst our greatest battles are fought within the silent chambers of our soul. Hence many from the silent majority attend the church services, just to manifest their duties as a Christian to the Lord, rather than act compulsively with regard to vested interests, and the rhetoric of others. .

So let not the inconsistencies of silence subdue your voice, nor your decisions be explained, live it without apologies, make the most of your GIFT of TODAY! Your heart is the best Compass.

We have projected everyone’s interest and confidence with Truth and Transparency as Always. Your trust to strengthen our hands to justify our cause, as we near the magical viewership figure of a “Lakh” over the last 26 months, now read on consistent Public Domain both National and International.

IN TIME OF WAR THE LAWS ARE SILENT BUT, WE DO SMALL THINGS WITH GREAT LOVE.

God Has Given Us All the Light We’ll Ever Need To Find Peace On Earth, Goodwill To Men.

VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis on Saturday told Vaticanadministrators, who were dogged by infighting and allegations of corruption during the papacy of his predecessor, to be humble professionals and “conscientious objectors” to gossip. “When professionalism is lacking, there is a slow drift downwards towards mediocrity,” Francis said in his first Christmas greetings to the members of the Roman Catholic Church’s central administration, known as the Curia.

He told the cardinals, bishops, monsignors and lay people who work in the various Vatican departments that administer the 1.2 billion-member Church that they should always strive for “professionalism and service”. When he was elected in March, Francis inherited a Curia in disarray and still reeling from the ” Vatileaks” scandal, in which documents stolen from former Pope Benedict’s office alleged corruption and petty infighting among monsignors.

Benedict, who became the first pope in 600 years to resign, was also tainted by reports in the Italian media of a so-called “gay lobby” in the Curia that used blackmail against others.

In his address, Francis said he wanted the Curia to turn a page. “Holiness, in the Curia, also means conscientious objection to gossip,” he said, and, departing from his prepared speech, added that there were also “saints” working in the Vatican.

Suggestions that the pope himself will take a turn.

Vatican City:

Further to my blog of Friday 6th December, I note that Pope Francis is still determined to get Vatican officials out from behind their desks. As I wrote then, he has told his papal almoner, “You can sell your desk”. Thus this official, Archbishop Konrad Krajewski, now goes out to meet in person some of those who have written to the Pope asking for help.

As the representative of the Holy Father, where he can help with small sums, interventions or other acts of kindness, he does so. The subliminal idea is that charity has a human face; it is not just signing a cheque from behind a certain piece of office furniture.

Now Robert Moynihan reports in his Letter 102 of Sunday 15 December from the Vatican, that Pope Francis has personally directed his closest collaborators, the cardinals and archbishops of the Roman Curia, to take turns to hear daily confession in the church of Santo Spirito in Sassia, which is situated outside the Vatican. It is suggested that the Holy Father will also take his turn in the confessional at 3 pm during the coming weeks.

Significantly the church of Santo Spirito is dedicated to the Divine Mercy devotion revealed to St Faustina, a Polish nun, and promoted by the late John Paul II, who died on the Feast of Divine Mercy. It seems that Archbishop Krajewski already hears confessions at this church daily at 3 pm.

Now he is to be joined by other members of the Curia. When asked why the Pope has asked for this initiative, the parish priest of Santo Spirito, Fr Jozef Bart, replied, “He wishes to emphasise the importance of confession, and of God’s great goodness in forgiving human sin.”